Wish upon the dawn
by Forever watching
Summary: A vampire from ancient times now lives in the present. Under her reluctant care is a human boy. But what have the gang got to do with this?
1. The vampire

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my cat, and the accidents she gets into take up all my money, so ther's no point in suing. Hah.

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What I was… it doesn't matter anymore. I know… it doesn't matter.

I am myself. What I am… I suppose you would call me a vampire. A creature of darkness, set to serve evil. The devil's spy. Except I'm not. Oh, by far I'm not.

Too many years ago, to think of, I was human. I was like you… just like you.

I was a scout for the Elders, the council of my village. Before I Awoke. Then they used me as a weapon, and in return for my use they didn't kill me. Not that they could anyway. Lucky for them, I was just a child. I delighted in the power, the strength within me. And I was foolish. Who isn't? Some take to killing and murder like a duck to water, others… they regret or they simply just hate it.

The taste of blood and the scent of fear. For me that was a vampire. The matter of humans using me - was only a small detail, one I found amusing. Weakling humans… searching for power, I fell nicely into their structured world. Don't look away child, just because I smile. I know you forget what I am. I know, but you must always watch. Someday your forgetfulness will be the death of you.

My duty was set, to observe the pitiful creatures grow old. I found it Just, since I stayed young. Sometimes, I saw the women look at me, envying my looks. I would not wrinkle, or turn grey. A bittersweet justice it seemed to my childish mind.

They scared their children into behaving. Be good they said, be good or, the demon spawn will eat you! As time passed, rumours and fear spread. If I walked down the street looks of terror would cross people's faces, children were rushed indoors. Be good, or the demon will eat you alive, and you shall never go to heaven. Little, pathetic fools, I will never even see heaven's gates.

Newer leaders sought to bind me – more completely than the first one had. A few succeeded, but I fast grew to know their tricks. I'm no idiot.

I watched the centuries pass. So slowly, sometimes I wondered if standing in sunlight would solve everything.

In a way, I was unique. Working for humans. Some would consider that pathetic in itself, but I had stopped caring. Now the race of my people has almost vanished. Thus the reason I watch you now. You've had your questions answered, so go to sleep… or I really will bite you.


	2. Discovery

Blinking awake, I bolt upright instantly. Something woke me. Pushing open the door to the wardrobe I look around. Nothing. Still tense I walk over to a futon, staring down at the boy sleeping there. He's changed so much in the last five years.

Whistling a call softly, I listen for the tell tale flap of wings, a magnificent kestrel landing on my out stretched hand.

The boy stirred, the noises disturbing him. With a sigh his eyes opened, turning to look at me with amber orbs. His mass of blond hair fell about his face like strands of silk. Suddenly he stiffened. "What is that?

Spinning round fast I hear the bones in my neck crack, moving protectively in front of the boy. I survey the outside quickly. Turning back to look at him, I raise an eyebrow, but the expression on his face tells me he's not lying. "Where?" I ask quietly, the breathy whisper, sounding loud in the room.

He pointed, not taking his eyes off the place, he was focused on. Crouching down, I followed the direction. Nothing. Then I realised the bird was watching too. Why could they both see it and I couldn't? My charge was shaking, though it had nothing to do with fear. A scowl spread it's way across his face.

"Shut up." His words were close to being hysterical yelling. I blinked in mild surprise, the kestrel flapping uncomfortably. Something was starting to appear. It was like mist, slowly forming. I closed my eyes then opened them, it vanished for a second; and then the smoke like quality came back. It was solidifying. Despite the unsettled behaviour of the bird on my arm I watched curiously. I hadn't seen anything like this in all the years of my half-life. The kid still seemed to be listening to something, that's what made me uneasy. My hearing was better than a humans, yet I couldn't hear a voice. _It_ wasn't possible.

Suddenly I was able to see it. The creature was strange. It wasn't above a meter high and had pale creamy skin. But what got me was it's strange stick-like out of proportioned body, that and the fangs. It grinned at us gleefully. Now I definitely hadn't seen anything like this. It's mouth moved, but I still couldn't hear a thing. The boy glanced at me, his expression clearly showing that I had just been insulted. I don't need to tell you; it annoyed me having no idea in hell what was said.

"...'upid aintcha? Humans. So gullible. Not like you lady, not like you at all. Strange for a demon, bein' so close to human's..." The creature stopped abruptly. It stared terrified with wide eyes. My grip tightened slightly round its stick like neck, hacking sounds racking the sir. I watched in amusement as its face changed from cream - to orange - to a strange shade of purple. My charge stared in amazement. The kestrel screeched from near the ceiling, taking flight the moment I'd moved.

"What are you?" Simple, harsh, the few words covered what I needed to know. Releasing my grip a bit, the small being gasped like a goldfish. The blond child quickly fell out of bed - grabbing a proper shirt and pulling it on. Really I could care less. The thing made a few wild arm gestures, then finally blew a raspberry. I gripped tighter. Repeating the question, having a hard time keeping the anger out of my voice. The thing was changing colours again. I wonder if it's poisonous... Or what colour it goes when it dies...

"Demon like you. Maybe some aren't the brightest in the box."

It made a pretty purple splatter over the floor.


	3. Searching

Demons. I rolled the thought around in my head. It made sense. I existed, so why shouldn't other beings of legend, but I didn't like that idea – but the truth is rarely something that is liked. Wiping my hand off on my trousers, I half turned towards the boy, chirping slightly. The kestrel rocketed off the floor besides my charge, easily keeping pace as I leapt from the window.

"Storm. Find." There was no need for talk, there never was. We were hunting, that was all. I could find its scent easily; it was different from anything else in this world. At the bird's slight change in direction, I dived down an alley, clinging deeply to the shadows. Laughing, a couple walked past. I waited till Storm took flight again - running along the street.

Finally we stopped, the bird settling in a tree. I stared up at the rocky cliff face before me; it was too high and treacherous to attempt to climb after yesterdays down pour. The scent of salt water mingling with the sound of waves - off to one side. Even as I considered my options a loose rock careered down, missing me by a metre. I did not fancy being crushed. Keeping one eye on the cliff, I searched the area for signs of where the demon came from. No matter how many times I tried, the scent only came from the bottom of the rock face, no where else. I hunted around a little longer, but again I came up with nothing. The rock face was normal, no cave or secret entrance - that's nearly impossible in real life anyway outside the books the boy often read. I needed to know, I had to know, where this being had come from. It could have been dropped from the sky, something could have carried it – the creature had not had wings so that was an impossibility. I knew nothing of this new threat, nothing but the legends of my people. I had killed one demon, yes, but that had just been one. It could have been weak, could have been harmless compared to others - if there were stronger demons, if there were more…

I hardly counted anything, as coming close to my strength in this world, but the possibility of demons... that was different. My charge is the boy. I have to protect him, it's slightly easier than a town, but still... he's only human. I'm not afraid of leaving him for a while - my 'curse' doesn't prohibit my movement, only if I plan to abandon him. Besides, he can look after himself foe a while. Someone I knew used to say: knowing the enemy before hand, makes it easier to fight against them than if you knew nothing. It's the same now. That... thing, came to the house for a reason. The boy could see it and I could not. That disturbs me slightly; technically I'm dead, so that should make it easier to see these things. Heaven and Hell, do these things really exist? Quickly I crushed the thought, now was not the time for distraction.

Giving a long whistle, I turn; running back along the ground, soon joined by my 'feathered friend.' The night slipped steadily away, revealing the pale light of dawn in the horizon. Opening the front door, it closed with a soft whoosh, a clock on the wall proclaiming it to be early morning. Heading up the stairs, the mother quickly rushed passed - struggling with an earring. She didn't notice me, to preoccupied with her own worries. Few adults really see me; they are after all to 'old' to believe in such things. A vampire? Lord no! Such a silly person you are, now run along and play.

The father soon headed across the landing, he bows slightly to me. "Ohayo, guard-sama."

I nod briefly in reply. His side of the family grew up with me, they were used to me being around and it's one of the few reasons he still remembers that I exist. It's also probably the only reason he trusts me with his child. Pushing open the door, I'm instantly hit by the sound. Music. A song I have not heard in a long time. One I vaguely recall a child singing…

The boy sleeps on. He doesn't have to be awake yet, and my nocturnal hours are slowly fading. Maybe it's time to get some rest myself, hidden away from the sun. Holding the wardrobe door open, I look once round the room, there's now no sign that anything was here earlier, save the pale purple splodge on the floor. Stepping into the dark space, I let the door swing shut. You can't say there're not monsters in the closet.


	4. Beginning

Authors note I guess:

Alright, I'm carrying this story on for the people who enjoyed it. It's mainly because I know how annoying it is when you fav something and then it never gets updated again. Really I should be studying for my exams right now, but here I am writing this chapter at two in the morning - I started a couple of months ago. I've re-written some of the previous chapters, they were done in an old word program that didn't have spell check and sometimes I miss things.

I have just realised how _weird _my vampire is, I originally based 'her' off a character from a book or manga – I can't actually remember which one (same with the boy). I do see her as a girl, but I want to know if she comes across as one from the way I write her. It's difficult to stick to her nature, and not let too many human qualities slip through, while letting her still have enough, that people can connect. Feel free to ask questions that need answering, sometimes I forget to add detail because I know what's going on, and I forget no one else does.

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From the rooftops I watched the boy come home - his head down, each step carefully measured. He was limping.

With one sweep of the eyes I took in his ruffled appearance and bruised cheek. I frowned, someone had bothered my charge – I didn't like that. For a minute I sat there pondering various options. The 'perfect suburbia' I now existed in seemed empty save the boy. However I knew better than that. Another five years had passed since the first discovery of the demon. In that time, I had come to see them more regularly, though the boy often saw them before I did. I would never admit it, but… that troubled me. That small fact could mean many, many things and I did not want to think about them and draw the wrong conclusion. A wrong theory, should I act on it, would mean failure.

My duty. My _debt_. My half-life is and always will be bound to the last of a dying line. The boy I watch over and protect is my last link to the village, my _home_ that entrusted me with this fate. Some times I have to wonder at the length they went to for power.

I am a predator; if they had left any gap in the binding then I would have exploited it. They played a dangerous game, one wrong word… I could have killed them all. It was with those people - way back when, that all this started, and with them shall it end.

Demons. I was starting to hate that word. Over the years since the discovery, they had caused me nothing but trouble. My charge and his… foolishness had not helped either. Keeping him relatively alive, while killing something with a body mass greater than your own is not easy. Particularly when said charge insisted on throwing himself in front of others so they wouldn't get hurt. Regardless of the fact that no others saw the danger - or thanked him for risking himself against something they couldn't see. The problem had been solved after I 'violently' threatened to bite him. Honestly, I could do a lot worse than 'roughing the child up.' For some reason his father was not happy with me.

Standing, I scan the street once more, searching for dangers. Nothing. Relatively satisfied, I look up – there a black patch against the stars that I know is the kestrel hovering. My "eyes" in the sky. Now to find out exactly _what_ damaged the boy. It is a threat to the line. It shall be eliminated. Slipping in through his window, I nearly wince at the brightness. Whoever invented electricity may have been a genius, but why electric lamps were created I shall never know. What's wrong with good, solid candles? Right… the child… no use getting off topic. Blond hair casts his face in shadows, preventing me from reading his emotions - shoulders slumped, creating the perfect picture of rejection. I have seen this in others too many times to count, over the years. For a second I wonder if I was ever like the human teenagers that seem to be in abundance. Now I really _am_ getting old, definitely old. I was back then and am still a Hunter - though forever more shall I be called 'guard.'

Slowly he raised his head, tired and shadowed amber eyes staring up at me. For a second he observed the intruder, then uninterested his eyes stole around the room. Irritation slowly crawled its way up out of somewhere deep and dark, how _dare_ he dismiss me like that! A tense step forward made him look up again, seeing the suddenly wound up muscles danger screamed at what little instinct he had. Not moving at all, barely breathing his eyes followed every tread. He had stepped over some invisible line… and he knew it. He swallowed nervously.

"Guard-sama," he trailed off uncertainly. His amber eyes flickered to the door. His gaze steadily became more solid. "Guard-sama. Why?"

Somehow the question was enough to suppress the growing anger. Curious, I tilted my head – having taught him long ago to never question me, I was surprised by this sudden act. Perhaps the kitten was growing a backbone. This could get interesting.

A desperate kind of anger started to fill him, forgetting his fear he leaned forward, staring into my eyes fiercely as though… "Why do they have to suffer? Why can't you protect them as well? I don't want you to keep me safe if they only d-" He broke off suddenly, his face losing colour. Eyes widening. He dropped his head into his hands; they were shaking. For a second I stood there, watching him – I could smell salt. He was crying. I realised suddenly I could not recall the last time he had. Babies were icky things, maybe I had blocked out the memory.

Making my way to the large window, I looked out; letting the breeze carry away my agitation, the kestrel – Storm flew past me. I did not need to look to know the bird had settled by his side. My anger would do nothing but worsen the situation; I would learn nothing, unless… I would have to handle the situation carefully and like a human. My lip curled at the very thought. He had never seemed averse to my actions. Though, he had always tried to save others before himself, always seemed to be upset when they got hurt or they tried to hurt him afterwards. After all, they could not see what he did. Clouds had already started to gather overhead.

Changing position, so I could partially keep watch on outside, I faced the bed. The boy still had not moved at all since five minutes ago. For the first time in years I wished I knew the right words to use. I never had been any good with this nature of situation. Finally I settle for simple. "What happened?"

Startled amber eyes blinked up at me, he didn't seem to notice the tears rolling down his cheeks, and if he did he did not seem to care. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he rested his chin upon them. "I was walkin' home… I'd been at Damie's place. Suddenly, it just… felt… wrong… I called for you." His gaze flicked up, almost accusingly, and I had to clamp down hard not to put him back in line. If I did that now, I would not get any information. Quietly he carried on. "Someone screamed nearby. They sounded scared. When I got there…" He swallowed, closing his eyes and turning his head away. "There was a demon. It was leaning over her… she was… screaming… I tried to distract it, but it didn't matter… she… she died. I was there and she died!" Helpless tears fell, his hands clenched into angry fists. "Why wont you save them?! You could help them! Why?!"

So he had tried to save someone again. For some reason that did not surprise me. It had been at least three months since he'd last attempted to do so, the last time had not ended well. He was an odd little creature. Always trying to save others when he clearly knew it was impossible to do so. My patience thinned dangerously. "I am not charged with their protection. I am bound to the last of what was once my people. You."

Hells help me if I was ever to protect more than this one boy. It was irritating enough trying to keep track of him alone. Turning my back on him, I leapt from the window, no protests followed. Storm (as the boy had insisted in calling it) soared overhead, a shadow against the sky once more. Half way down the street I found blood on the ground. It was his.

Hunting had never sounded so good.


End file.
